Hi! I'm Paula. I'm a feminist, activist, writer and book reviewer who swapped city life for the quietness of Co. Kerry. I was once a regular runner until my health got in the way. I hope to get back to it someday.

What I’m Reading

Me too

Me too. Yet, I hesitated typing that because maybe it wasn’t a big deal or I was overreacting. But that’s the thing, isn’t it? It’s all those moments combined.

It’s the fact it starts when we’re so young. It’s the fact we second guess ourselves or consider it “not a big deal”. It’s the fact we don’t talk about it every time it happens to us. It’s the fact I’ve had women pretend to be old school friends while interrupting men who thought “I’m not interested” meant try harder. It’s the fact this happens regularly. It’s the fact I have also pretended to be an old school friend. It’s the fact we’ve likely been warned about certain men or warned other women about certain men. Because that’s what women do. We share information to keep each other safe.

And, yet, here we are sharing our stories and traumas again in the hopes that things will be different. That women are finally believed. That things will change.

Here’s the thing about “Me Too” and “Yes All Women”; we can’t change things on our own. We need men to speak up. Rape culture isn’t going to dismantle itself. Will you have a chat with that friend of yours who is fond of telling rape jokes? Will you stop your friend from getting “too friendly” with the woman in the pub who has already told him she isn’t interested? Will you help prevent future “me toos”?

So, yes, me too because yes all women. But I’m tired of all this talk, that doesn’t lead to action from men.